8 things about technology and business you need to know right now

2018 was a huge year in technology. We saw leaders being held accountable on the Congressional floor, improvements in our smart devices, and a boom in the digital marketing space. If 2018 is anything like 2019, we will be in for a treat.

Here are 8 headlines that began the New Year in business and technology:

Netflix quietly made a change to its iPhone app that should spook Apple – Apple gets a cut (around 15%) from every user that streams Netflix on their mobile device or iPad. Originally, if you were a new user to Netflix and wanted to stream your favorite TV show or understand why Bird Box is a big deal, you’d be directed to iTunes to pay for your service. But instead, Netflix now redirects you to their website so you can purchase from their site directly. This enables Netflix to keep all the earnings from their month-to-month service.

Instagram – Instagram tested out their new scrolling feature and the world was set ablaze. In an attempt to improve the scrolling quality of users Instagram came under fire by introducing a novel way for people to scroll through their feed. Enter, horizontal swiping, which emboldened ads and ruined users timelines. After the masses tweeted tweets of anger, Instagram switched back to the original version.

Why Digital Marketing Matters – still not convinced as to why your company needs a team of experts to help you leverage your business? Social media has become a disrupter of branding and product development. At Boss Business Market, we have made it our ally and strength. We use social media to share a narrative about your brand, mission, or product to the rest of the world. We believe in authentic growth that’s inspired by creative storytelling.

CES 2019 is days away. CES (Consumer Electronics Show) is a showcase of the innovative, exciting technology trends coming in the new year. Think of this as the auto show of technology gadgets, companies, and brands. This will set a good picture of what we, as consumers, should expect in 2019. Over the past few years, we have seen a huge wave of IoT products getting into the hands of consumers. Our kitchens and TVs are only going to get smarter. Expect to see an expanded line of IoT tools to make that all happen.

Lyft is launching a new Grocery Access Program – Having access to fresh fruits and vegetables shouldn’t depend on your socioeconomic status. Unfortunately, in many communities, there is a significant shortage of grocery stores available to offer families who live in a food desert a discounted shared ride to a grocery store. According to Bustle, “In a food desert, the walking distance to a grocery store is typically more than half a mile, more than 40 percent of households have no access to transportation, and the median household income is less than 185 percent of the federal poverty level for a family of four, which was about $44,995 in 2015, says the D.C. Policy Center.”

Fingerprint scanning is a convenient tool we use to get into the most sensitive portals. We use our fingerprints to get into our phones, bank accounts, and more, but now this technology, which began on mobile apps will be able to control our cars automatically. A new development that furthers our immediate need to just tap and go. Don’t even worry about forgetting your key.

An episode – Netflix takes down an episode of Hasan Minaj’s Show: The Patriot Act that violated Saudi cybercrime laws. The caused a lot of controversy because Minaj criticized Saudi Arabian Prince Mohammed Bin Salman. Netflix put out a statement stating “We strongly support artistic freedom worldwide and only removed this episode in Saudi Arabia after we had received a valid legal request — and to comply with local law.” The episode can still be streamed in other countries and can be viewed on Youtube.

Tesla took a 9% hit this past quarter. Delivering less than 100,000 vehicles (2,000 fewer than their goal), they did not make their stockholders very happy. Even though Elon Musk decided to boost production they still disappointed their investors. To make up for the loss, Tesla discounted their cars by $2,000.

2019 will be a year that implements more of the latest trends that will improve upon our practice to build lasting relationships with our clients and inherently ourselves. As always, stay tuned for more content from our team here at Boss Business Market.

Tarlon Khoubyari

Hello everyone! My name is Tarlon Khoubyari but everyone calls me TK. I am the head of Data Analysis for Boss Business Market. Stay tuned for posts from me regarding all things technology on BBM. Follow me on social media @tkhoub